Francis Ricciardone, the US ambassador to Turkey, has paid tribute to the security guard who died in Friday’s suicide bombing at the American embassy in Ankara.

“I paid my respects to the family of the Turkish hero who stood guard for us every day, was well trained, was committed to his job and died defending the Turks and Americans who worked at our embassy.”

A woman, reportedly a journalist, was critically injured in the explosion at one of the entrances to the embassy.

The assailant also died during the blast.

The Turkish government has named him as Ecevit Sanli, a member of outlawed far-left group the DHKP. He was implicated in another attack in 1997.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the attack was the latest in a series of terrorist acts threatening peace in Turkey:

“All these attacks are against the prosperity and peace in our country. As we have said since the beginning, we have to fight against terrorism together all over the world,” Erdogan said.